The present invention relates generally to a composite paper-resin packaging material, and more particularly to such a material which incorporates post-consumer recycled paper along with a vapor phase corrosion inhibitor for protection of the product or components being packaged.
Post-consumer recycled paper represents an important and significant material which is useful in preparing packaging materials. Post-consumer recycled paper is, of course, commercially available from a wide variety of sources including newsprint, documents of various types and packaging materials. The term "post-consumer recycled paper" is hereinafter sometimes referred to as "recycled paper".
Typically, recycled paper is defined as a paper product generated by a business or consumer which has served its intended end use, and which has been diverted from solid waste collection for purposes of recycling and ultimate re-use. Upon being collected, used paper is processed to yield a useful pulp or other product which may again be used in the preparation of a different end use product, including recycled paper. Recycling of paper as well as other resources is beneficial to the environment and acts to conserve natural resources and energy.
Because the overall history of a given piece of recycled paper is unknown, it is always possible that this material may have become contaminated so as to possess corrosive or other properties deleterious to metals. Any article which is susceptible to deterioration due to corrosion and which is subsequently packaged within a package prepared from or containing a recycled component, must be protected so as not to be subjected to damage when and if exposure to corrosive or contaminating compounds occurs. It is recognized that migration of impurities proceeds rapidly in paper, and because of its generally highly porous nature, paper acts as a hospitable host for most impurities. Because of this, the presence and location of any impurities within recycled paper is impossible to determine and the identity of the contaminants and the various sources of contamination are impossible to predict. In accordance with the present invention, the characteristics and properties of post-consumer recycled paper may be tolerated for use in many packaging applications, with paper from a recycled source being suitably employed for the packaging of products which are normally susceptible to corrosion damage. In addition, recycled paper may be used for the formation of porous hosts such as in the manufacture of packing nuggets or cardboard of various configurations, with solutions or slurries of vapor phase corrosion inhibitor (VCI) materials being coated upon or impregnated into the host material. These host materials may themselves be recycled for further use if appropriate.